Semi-dry method of washing machine and the ventilating structure, control apparatus for the same

Abstract

A semi-drying method of a washing machine, and a ventilating structure and a control apparatus for the same. In the semi-drying method, the dehydration and disentanglement of cloth are repeated plural times, and a washing tub is rotated at a designated dehydration speed for a time longer than that of the conventional dehydrating operation so as to minimize the jamming of the cloth into water pores of the washing tub, thereby increasing the dehydration degree of the cloth compared to the conventional dehydrating operation, removing offensive odors from the cloth, preventing damage to the cloth, allowing a user to select the duration of a semi-drying operation and to see the state of the semi-drying operation, and ventilating the washing tub during the semi-drying operation to improve the dehydration degree of the cloth.

1. A semi-drying method of a washing machine comprising:
 dehydrating cloth by centrifugal force by continually rotating a washing tub at an increasing dehydration speed, step-by-step, until the dehydration speed of the washing tub reaches a designated speed, said dehydration of the cloth being repeated plural times, wherein each of the repeated dehydrations of the cloth includes: 
 pre-dehydrating the cloth by rotating the stopped washing tub at a designated dehydration speed, and 
 main-dehydrating the cloth after the pre-dehydration of the cloth by rotating the washing tub at a dehydration speed higher than that of the pre-dehydration of the cloth; and 
 disentangling cloth by agitatedly rotating the washing tub prior to the next dehydration of the cloth by way of the repetition of the dehydration, wherein the pre-dehydration speed of the washing tub in each of the repeated dehydration of the cloth is higher than the pre-dehydration speed of the washing tub in a preceding dehydration of the cloth. 
 
   
   
     2. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the main-dehydration speed of the washing tub in each of the repeated dehydrations of the cloth is higher than the main-dehydration speed of the washing tub in the preceding dehydration of the cloth. 
   
   
     3. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the dehydration speed of the washing tub is increased step-by-step in the main-dehydration of the cloth. 
   
   
     4. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disentanglement of the cloth is repeated plural times until the eccentricity of the cloth is less than a designated value. 
   
   
     5. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising finally disentangling cloth after the repetition of the dehydration of the cloth is completed. 
   
   
     6. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disentanglement of the cloth is performed one more time prior to the dehydration of the cloth so that the cloth is disentangled before the cloth is dehydrated. 
   
   
     7. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the duty value of a motor for rotating the washing tub is gradually increased during the repetition of the disentanglement of the cloth plural times. 
   
   
     8. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising
 sensing a quantity of the cloth put into the washing tub prior to the dehydration of the cloth. 
 
   
   
     9. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the dehydration of the cloth is performed when it is determined that the sensed quantity of the cloth is less than a predetermined value in the sensing of the quantity of the cloth; and 
 the operation of the washing machine is stopped and an alarm indicating the excessive quantity of the cloth may be raised when it is determined that the sensed quantity of the cloth exceeds the predetermined value in the sensing of the quantity of the cloth. 
 
   
   
     10. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising
 initially disentangling the cloth so that the cloth is disentangled prior to the sense of the quantity of the cloth. 
 
   
   
     11. The semi-drying method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the duty value of a motor for rotating the washing tub in the initial-disentanglement of the cloth is smaller than the duty value of the motor in the disentanglement of the cloth.